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My Way to Romance #2
My Secret Celebrity
I finally met my match and she doesn’t even know my true identity...I’m Italy’s most famous actor, seeking refuge from the spotlight after my public breakup. But when my Amalfi Coast getaway gets disrupted by a fiery redhead wielding a camera, the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel quickly becomes a battleground.
Our meet-hate sparks a whirlwind of clashes, but beneath the animosity lies undeniable chemistry.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, I learn that Larisa Thompson is oblivious to my celebrity status—only here for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an exposé.
Suddenly, I want to know everything about the feisty American photographer with icy blue eyes.
Entranced, I craft a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a connection untainted by fame.
But as love blossoms, my hidden identity threatens to shatter everything.
Can she see beyond my lie, or will I lose her forever?
My Secret Celebrity is a sweet and swoony closed-door romcom. It's the second standalone story in Kristine W. Joy's My Way to Romance Series following three best friends who live in Boston.
Our meet-hate sparks a whirlwind of clashes, but beneath the animosity lies undeniable chemistry.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, I learn that Larisa Thompson is oblivious to my celebrity status—only here for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an exposé.
Suddenly, I want to know everything about the feisty American photographer with icy blue eyes.
Entranced, I craft a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a connection untainted by fame.
But as love blossoms, my hidden identity threatens to shatter everything.
Can she see beyond my lie, or will I lose her forever?
My Secret Celebrity is a sweet and swoony closed-door romcom. It's the second standalone story in Kristine W. Joy's My Way to Romance Series following three best friends who live in Boston.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2024
117 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
Kristine W. Joy
19 books360 followersKristine W. Joy is an Amazon Bestselling Author who loves creating sweet and swoony stories full of sizzling chemistry and laugh-out-loud banter. She prefers her coffee iced and her kisses hot. When she's not dreaming up romance novels or writing from a cozy coffee shop in Northern California, she is spending time with her hubby and two young sons. Becoming a published author was a lifelong dream. Becoming a momma was the inspiration to make it a reality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
February 23, 2024
2.25 stars
thank you to the author for the arc!!
maybe it's because i was not in the right mood when i read this book but i had pretty high expectations for this book and it did not serve unfortunately. this is another scenario of a book solely built on tropes and not character development, which i hate. my biggest problem with this book is the dialogue. right from the beginning, i thought the conversations between characters felt really weird and did not flow. it feels like each dialogue is stating something and the use of exclamation marks just sounded so sarcastic !!
also, the whole plot felt very rushed and the characters' emotions fluctuated far too much in such a short time. the "secret" or conflict might've been the dumbest thing i've read because any person with a working mind would understand that they should've cleared that up right from the beginning.
anywho... not to be a hater...sometimes...but this book was not an enjoyable experience. also, while i said a lot of negative things about this book, there's honestly nothing wrong with it except that it didn't suit my taste :( someone out there would definitely love this book a lot more than me, it's just my personal preference.
thank you to the author for the arc!!
maybe it's because i was not in the right mood when i read this book but i had pretty high expectations for this book and it did not serve unfortunately. this is another scenario of a book solely built on tropes and not character development, which i hate. my biggest problem with this book is the dialogue. right from the beginning, i thought the conversations between characters felt really weird and did not flow. it feels like each dialogue is stating something and the use of exclamation marks just sounded so sarcastic !!
also, the whole plot felt very rushed and the characters' emotions fluctuated far too much in such a short time. the "secret" or conflict might've been the dumbest thing i've read because any person with a working mind would understand that they should've cleared that up right from the beginning.
anywho... not to be a hater...sometimes...but this book was not an enjoyable experience. also, while i said a lot of negative things about this book, there's honestly nothing wrong with it except that it didn't suit my taste :( someone out there would definitely love this book a lot more than me, it's just my personal preference.
February 23, 2024
4 ⭐️
1 🌶️, there was only kissing
I really liked this book!! It was wholesome! It was all giggles and kicking feet on my end. It was so sweet, and I loved the nicknames he had for her throughout the story, and I mean, who doesn’t want to fall in love with an Italian man in Italy?
The chemistry Larisa and Gianluca was on top! From the meet-hate to the last kiss, we felt what they were feeling, loved it. And the banter!!! I absolutely loved it. We got to see both of their POVs and it actually helped understand them better, and why would he choose to hide who he really is!!
Amazing book once again from Kristine, cute and sweet.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion; thank you for the ARC.
1 🌶️, there was only kissing
I really liked this book!! It was wholesome! It was all giggles and kicking feet on my end. It was so sweet, and I loved the nicknames he had for her throughout the story, and I mean, who doesn’t want to fall in love with an Italian man in Italy?
The chemistry Larisa and Gianluca was on top! From the meet-hate to the last kiss, we felt what they were feeling, loved it. And the banter!!! I absolutely loved it. We got to see both of their POVs and it actually helped understand them better, and why would he choose to hide who he really is!!
Amazing book once again from Kristine, cute and sweet.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion; thank you for the ARC.
February 23, 2024
I feel like I just escaped to the warm and dreamy Amalfi Coast in beautiful Italy, which is actually somewhere I would love to see in real life.
American Larisa is visiting with her friends for a few weeks while staying in a private hotel and she has an unfortunate misunderstanding and encounter with Gianluca, an Italian superstar–unbeknownst to her. My first impressions of each were less than stellar at the very first, but as I came to know and understand them better with each explosive meet, I fell about as quickly as they each did, especially because I’m a huge fan of a celebrity and a “normal person” romance.
I adore a sweet and swoony romcom and this one delivered in sometimes excessive ways, but that only added to the humor and lightness. The kissing was glowing with chemistry and attraction, easily making these scenes my favorites.
The plot zipped along towards character growth and a fantastic grand gesture, which left me mesmerized. I felt the characters were true to their individual personalities and this story is pure high-spirited fun.
Content: mild+ kissing (some passion)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
American Larisa is visiting with her friends for a few weeks while staying in a private hotel and she has an unfortunate misunderstanding and encounter with Gianluca, an Italian superstar–unbeknownst to her. My first impressions of each were less than stellar at the very first, but as I came to know and understand them better with each explosive meet, I fell about as quickly as they each did, especially because I’m a huge fan of a celebrity and a “normal person” romance.
I adore a sweet and swoony romcom and this one delivered in sometimes excessive ways, but that only added to the humor and lightness. The kissing was glowing with chemistry and attraction, easily making these scenes my favorites.
The plot zipped along towards character growth and a fantastic grand gesture, which left me mesmerized. I felt the characters were true to their individual personalities and this story is pure high-spirited fun.
Content: mild+ kissing (some passion)
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
February 29, 2024
I truly loved every minute of this book! I’m a sucker for enemies to more but it was such a romantic book as well! The fun banter between the main characters was great and I loved the enemies to more vibes. And who doesn’t love a flirty, confident MMC?! Gianluca is so flirty and romantic. He knows how to make a girl feel special. And I loved getting to know the girls more too since this is the second book in the series. They are the sweetest friend group. Larissa was a strong, confident FMC and knew who she was. And oh my, those kisses were sizzling! I love how the story progressed, it flowed well and wasn’t stiff at all. And the conflict was realistic and didn’t weigh the story down. What a beautiful story about trust, forgiveness, and finding the one who loves you for you. Joy’s books are always so romantic and swoony but also so relatable. This one definitely delivered!
March 19, 2024
A hot Italian famous actor falls in love with a common girl? Um sign me up for that story. Larisa meets her Italian man under less than ideal circumstances. But when they get thrown together at the exclusive vacation resort on the Amalfi Coast things heat up.
Filed with all the romantic things you would expect in Italy. I lived vicariously through the characters and the author brought me all the way to Italy and back to America. It’s about letting someone see the person you want to be and trusting them to love you regardless of your circumstances.
Filed with all the romantic things you would expect in Italy. I lived vicariously through the characters and the author brought me all the way to Italy and back to America. It’s about letting someone see the person you want to be and trusting them to love you regardless of your circumstances.
February 12, 2024
My Secret Celebrity is the second book in the My Way to Romance series. While there are some familiar characters, this can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone without any issues.
What a fun read this was! Gianluca and Larisa's first meeting was... well, let's just say they didn't start off on the right foot! It didn't take long for them to discover that their first impression may have been a little off and they quickly develop a relationship. The only trouble? He's a huge Italian movie star... and she has absolutely no idea who he is! While that has the potential to be a little tricky to pull off--- making the character believably unaware when he's supposed to be this mega-star--- the author did a great job or giving reasonable excuses as to how that can happen... and it made for such an entertaining story! The chemistry between these two was so fantastically done... I couldn't get enough of them! Their romance happened pretty quickly, but it didn't feel as though it was as quick as it was... and I loved every second of it.
My Secret Celebrity is a closed-door romance with some semi-detailed kisses, but nothing beyond that and no language.
**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.
What a fun read this was! Gianluca and Larisa's first meeting was... well, let's just say they didn't start off on the right foot! It didn't take long for them to discover that their first impression may have been a little off and they quickly develop a relationship. The only trouble? He's a huge Italian movie star... and she has absolutely no idea who he is! While that has the potential to be a little tricky to pull off--- making the character believably unaware when he's supposed to be this mega-star--- the author did a great job or giving reasonable excuses as to how that can happen... and it made for such an entertaining story! The chemistry between these two was so fantastically done... I couldn't get enough of them! Their romance happened pretty quickly, but it didn't feel as though it was as quick as it was... and I loved every second of it.
My Secret Celebrity is a closed-door romance with some semi-detailed kisses, but nothing beyond that and no language.
**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.
November 23, 2025
Update!
I love this book!
I finished it from 42% (and continued on)
Read if you love
Vintage movie references
Great remake friendships!
Enemies to lovers
Silly yoga 🧘🏻♀️ 😆 scenes
Accountability tropes
Brief miscommunication
A big surprise
Funny dialogue
Learning how to find a safe person after an abusive ex partner.
Best quotes:
laugh.
"There are things that I haven't been able to tell you while we were together.
One of them is the fact that I've been an actor since I was a child. It's not usual for me to meet people who don't know me or want something from me. Almost all the people around me want to use me or make money off of me. When I met you, it was ... a breath of fresh air. It was an incredible opportunity to be myself and to spend time with someone who, perhaps, might be interested in ... just me."
“you ... liked me for me, Larisa. And that was almost like a drug to me. You're the first person that ever saw me as a human being, as a man, as someone you could talk to, laugh with, play with, and, maybe, build your future with. Not as a cash machine, a face on a screen, or a body that can advertise clothes and watches. I fell into this ... dream of being loved for who I am as a person ... not because I was in a bunch of movies."
"Gianluca... why didn't you tell me all this? Back then. Why did you think I wouldn't feel the same way about you, even if I knew who you are? That makes no difference to me. To me, you are still you. I don't want you because you star in movies or because you're famous. I want you because of the way you are. Because of how I feel when we're together."
Spoiler: Gianluca’s ex is terrible! Her name is Elena and she invades the press with his personal life (which you should never do!) Ugh 😣
Also, Cara working behind his back! Ugh!! 😣
I love this book!
I finished it from 42% (and continued on)
Read if you love
Vintage movie references
Great remake friendships!
Enemies to lovers
Silly yoga 🧘🏻♀️ 😆 scenes
Accountability tropes
Brief miscommunication
A big surprise
Funny dialogue
Learning how to find a safe person after an abusive ex partner.
Best quotes:
laugh.
"There are things that I haven't been able to tell you while we were together.
One of them is the fact that I've been an actor since I was a child. It's not usual for me to meet people who don't know me or want something from me. Almost all the people around me want to use me or make money off of me. When I met you, it was ... a breath of fresh air. It was an incredible opportunity to be myself and to spend time with someone who, perhaps, might be interested in ... just me."
“you ... liked me for me, Larisa. And that was almost like a drug to me. You're the first person that ever saw me as a human being, as a man, as someone you could talk to, laugh with, play with, and, maybe, build your future with. Not as a cash machine, a face on a screen, or a body that can advertise clothes and watches. I fell into this ... dream of being loved for who I am as a person ... not because I was in a bunch of movies."
"Gianluca... why didn't you tell me all this? Back then. Why did you think I wouldn't feel the same way about you, even if I knew who you are? That makes no difference to me. To me, you are still you. I don't want you because you star in movies or because you're famous. I want you because of the way you are. Because of how I feel when we're together."
Spoiler: Gianluca’s ex is terrible! Her name is Elena and she invades the press with his personal life (which you should never do!) Ugh 😣
Also, Cara working behind his back! Ugh!! 😣
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
My Secret Celebrity by Kristine W. Joy was so cute. It is the second book in the My Way to Romance Series but can be read as a standalone. This book takes place in Italy (my dream vacation spot) at a super exclusive resort on the Amalfi Coast. Larisa is there for an extended girls' Bachelorette trip with her two closest friends, Emmy and Jo (from My Forbidden Billionaire). Gianluca is a famous Italian actor staying at the same resort as Larisa. The way Larisa and Gianluca meet is unforgettable. Gianluca mistakes Larisa as paparazzi. I literally laughed during the whole scene. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Larisa and Gianluca. The banter and the swoony kisses are perfection. These two are perfect together. I cannot wait for more from Kristine W. Joy. She has become one of my go-to authors for clean closed-door rom-coms.
Read if you like
☀️ Swoony Kisses
🌟 Closed Door Rom-com
☀️ Meet-Hate
🌟 Mistaken Identity
☀️ Dual POV
🌟 Italian Resort Setting
☀️ Forced Proximity
One of my favorite quotes:
"They call me the man who has it all. Fame. Money. A career.....but none of that matters. All I want is you."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
Read if you like
☀️ Swoony Kisses
🌟 Closed Door Rom-com
☀️ Meet-Hate
🌟 Mistaken Identity
☀️ Dual POV
🌟 Italian Resort Setting
☀️ Forced Proximity
One of my favorite quotes:
"They call me the man who has it all. Fame. Money. A career.....but none of that matters. All I want is you."
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
February 19, 2024
Thank you to the author for my gifted ebook, all thoughts are my own.
Larisa and Gianluca are instant enemies. He's a famous Italian actor and she's an innocent tourist who casually takes his photo. He assumes she's paparazzi, she assumes he's just an arrogant arse. They wickedly argue at every encounter during their stay at a private hotel on the Amalfi coast. Then one day, the arguments stop of course, it is a romance after all.
This is a sweet romance full of sexy smoldering kisses. With a grand gesture as the cherry on top.
I find myself dreaming about a trip to the Amalfi Coast. The book really made the place come alive, I could see thee epic beauty and the FOOD! Everything sounded so scrumptious.
I definitely recommend this one. It's book 2 in a series but totally stands on its own.
Larisa and Gianluca are instant enemies. He's a famous Italian actor and she's an innocent tourist who casually takes his photo. He assumes she's paparazzi, she assumes he's just an arrogant arse. They wickedly argue at every encounter during their stay at a private hotel on the Amalfi coast. Then one day, the arguments stop of course, it is a romance after all.
This is a sweet romance full of sexy smoldering kisses. With a grand gesture as the cherry on top.
I find myself dreaming about a trip to the Amalfi Coast. The book really made the place come alive, I could see thee epic beauty and the FOOD! Everything sounded so scrumptious.
I definitely recommend this one. It's book 2 in a series but totally stands on its own.
February 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this sweet romance that was mainly located in Italy. That country has so much rich history and it was fun to read about some of it. But the romance was even better, with a fantastic meet-hate and lots of misunderstandings to kick things off well. Gianluca and Larisa were opposites in lots of ways but soon found common ground in enjoying peace, nature and a mutual hatred of people using people for gain. Their conversations morphed from surface level to depth with a natural flow and I loved watching them fall for each other in the most beautiful way. I definitely didn’t like Gianluca not being entirely honest with Larisa, especially once they decided on a relationship. I get his initial thinking but there was no way things would go well without honesty. Despite this, everything turned out so well, and included some great conversations. If you’re a fan of celebrity romances, I would definitely suggest you grab a copy of this darling story for yourself. I’m positive you’re going to enjoy it too.
I received a complimentary copy of this ARC from the author via BookFunnel. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this ARC from the author via BookFunnel. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
February 22, 2024
My Secret Celebrity is a sweet and swoony closed-door romcom. It’s the second standalone story in Kristine W. Joy’s My Way to Romance Series that follows three best friends who live in Boston.
I was very excited to read this book because Larisa captivated me from the moment I met her in the first book. And let me tell you, Gianluca and Larisa are something else.
He is a famous and very charming Italian actor that wanted peace and privacy on his vacation at a exclusive resort.
And she is a very sweet, and adventurous freelance photographer who was with her two best friends - Jo and Emmy - to celebrate Jo’s bachelorette party at the same resort.
Their first meet was not nice and they didn’t get along well. But as they spent more time together, the two of them started to connect and realised that they were perfect for each other.
An unlikely and romantic couple who captured my heart from the beginning to the end of the book.
➡️ What you’ll find:
- Meet-hate
- Forced Proximity
- Hidden Identity
- Swoony Kisses
#booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookreview #bookrecommendations #kristinewjoy #mywaytoromanceseries #mysecretcelebrity #romcombooks #sweetromance #closeddoorromance #readingbylara
I was very excited to read this book because Larisa captivated me from the moment I met her in the first book. And let me tell you, Gianluca and Larisa are something else.
He is a famous and very charming Italian actor that wanted peace and privacy on his vacation at a exclusive resort.
And she is a very sweet, and adventurous freelance photographer who was with her two best friends - Jo and Emmy - to celebrate Jo’s bachelorette party at the same resort.
Their first meet was not nice and they didn’t get along well. But as they spent more time together, the two of them started to connect and realised that they were perfect for each other.
An unlikely and romantic couple who captured my heart from the beginning to the end of the book.
➡️ What you’ll find:
- Meet-hate
- Forced Proximity
- Hidden Identity
- Swoony Kisses
#booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookreview #bookrecommendations #kristinewjoy #mywaytoromanceseries #mysecretcelebrity #romcombooks #sweetromance #closeddoorromance #readingbylara
February 15, 2024
My first book by Kristine and I'm hooked.fri. the very beginning meeting Larisa and Gianluca you are sprinted away to Italy. And the Amalfi coast to an exclusive hotel and where these two meet and their love story begins
It brings all that scenery places, the food the La Dolce Vita to life a d the characters from the banter to the romance. I loved every page it gave me an escape from reality. Definitely a book I would reread again.
My secret celebrity is a closed door romance with Sims semi detailed kisses but nothing beyond that and no language
I received a arc to be consideration. All opinions are my own.
It brings all that scenery places, the food the La Dolce Vita to life a d the characters from the banter to the romance. I loved every page it gave me an escape from reality. Definitely a book I would reread again.
My secret celebrity is a closed door romance with Sims semi detailed kisses but nothing beyond that and no language
I received a arc to be consideration. All opinions are my own.
February 22, 2024
Want to feel like you’re in Italy?
Enjoy secret celebrity tropes?
Like photography?
Want to eat croissants and expresso?
Then this book may need to be your next read. Even if you haven’t read book 1 I feel like it’s a great standalone novel. I’ve never really wanted to travel to Italy, UNTIL I read this book.
She’s just on a bridesmaid trip with her BBF (the bride) for 3 weeks in Italy. She is there for the photos. Until she finds the most beautiful man on earth, takes his photo, and then gets chewed out by said human. In Italian!
He is at the most exclusive resort in Italy hiding out from the fans. He was promised no one else would be here. His agent wants him to read a suitcase full of movie scripts. He just wants to rest.
When these two collide it’s sparks 🧨
Until he realizes SHE DOESNT KNOW HIM… then he leans into this relationship, and that’s when the sparks begin to sizzle.
Enjoy this explosive, insta-then-slow-burn romance.
Enjoy secret celebrity tropes?
Like photography?
Want to eat croissants and expresso?
Then this book may need to be your next read. Even if you haven’t read book 1 I feel like it’s a great standalone novel. I’ve never really wanted to travel to Italy, UNTIL I read this book.
She’s just on a bridesmaid trip with her BBF (the bride) for 3 weeks in Italy. She is there for the photos. Until she finds the most beautiful man on earth, takes his photo, and then gets chewed out by said human. In Italian!
He is at the most exclusive resort in Italy hiding out from the fans. He was promised no one else would be here. His agent wants him to read a suitcase full of movie scripts. He just wants to rest.
When these two collide it’s sparks 🧨
Until he realizes SHE DOESNT KNOW HIM… then he leans into this relationship, and that’s when the sparks begin to sizzle.
Enjoy this explosive, insta-then-slow-burn romance.
February 22, 2024
Gianluca & Larisa 😍😍
This book had me hooked from the start! The cover is fabulous, I imagine plenty of people are imaging Cavil in Gianluca’s place 🤭
The meet-cute-but-he-dislikes-her was so good.
The car ride to Pompeii.
The spa.
The restaurant.
🥵🔥😍
I love a book with good kisses, and this one did not disappoint. Those kisses!!
It’s my first Kristine W. Joy book, but it will definitely not be my last! I need to go read Jo’s books story now, and every other book she’s written! And I cannot wait for Emmy’s story!
This book had me hooked from the start! The cover is fabulous, I imagine plenty of people are imaging Cavil in Gianluca’s place 🤭
The meet-cute-but-he-dislikes-her was so good.
The car ride to Pompeii.
The spa.
The restaurant.
🥵🔥😍
I love a book with good kisses, and this one did not disappoint. Those kisses!!
It’s my first Kristine W. Joy book, but it will definitely not be my last! I need to go read Jo’s books story now, and every other book she’s written! And I cannot wait for Emmy’s story!
February 23, 2024
This was a cute fun read. The hard part for me as a reader was that the main male character was just so shallow.
March 5, 2024
Thank you to the author for my ARC.
This was the first book I have read by Kristine, and it will not be my last. I enjoyed the escape to the Amalfi Coast and the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel. I felt like I was there with Larisa and Gianluca. This is a closed-door celebrity romance between an innocent American tourist and a family Italian actor. Their story begins with a misunderstanding because he believes she is a paparazzi instead of a guest at this exclusive hotel. I loved seeing their relationship develop throughout the book. Through the written descriptions, I also felt like I was back visiting Pompeii myself.
I recommend adding this book to your reading list. You will not be disappointed.
This was the first book I have read by Kristine, and it will not be my last. I enjoyed the escape to the Amalfi Coast and the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel. I felt like I was there with Larisa and Gianluca. This is a closed-door celebrity romance between an innocent American tourist and a family Italian actor. Their story begins with a misunderstanding because he believes she is a paparazzi instead of a guest at this exclusive hotel. I loved seeing their relationship develop throughout the book. Through the written descriptions, I also felt like I was back visiting Pompeii myself.
I recommend adding this book to your reading list. You will not be disappointed.
June 24, 2024
3.5/5 stars
My Secret Celebrity whisks you off on a dreamy adventure through Italy, where love sparks and secrets simmer beneath the Mediterranean sun. It's the ultimate page-turner for anyone craving a getaway filled with romance and plenty of Italian charm.
This was such a cute, enjoyable and fast read! Larissa and Gianluca's banter was on point, and their meet-hate was hilarious and a perfect way to introduce them to one another.
The plot was predictable, but I still enjoyed it :)
My Secret Celebrity whisks you off on a dreamy adventure through Italy, where love sparks and secrets simmer beneath the Mediterranean sun. It's the ultimate page-turner for anyone craving a getaway filled with romance and plenty of Italian charm.
This was such a cute, enjoyable and fast read! Larissa and Gianluca's banter was on point, and their meet-hate was hilarious and a perfect way to introduce them to one another.
The plot was predictable, but I still enjoyed it :)
February 27, 2024
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Larisa & Gianluca’s points of view
– a character’s parents both passed away in a car accident (past event)
– some kisses briefly mention tongue
Review:
One of my favorite things in a celebrity romance is when the celebrity gets the chance to feel normal for once and this story had a wonderful use of this! I loved that Larisa really could care less about different news announcements and gossip going on around her pertaining to high profile people. I love that it set up a chance for Gianluca to have normalcy that he otherwise wouldn’t have had. Larisa was so oblivious to the issues Gianluca had with being in public and at times kinda found it endearing which was cute. I loved that Gianluca completely fell for Larisa and was willing to venture outside the hotel with her for dates even though it could have broken his secret wide open sooner. The two of them were so sweet and I loved getting to see their romance develop from both their points of views as well as the different things that made them take a second look at the other person to begin with.
Summary:
Larisa is excited that her friend’s fiancé funded a month long bachelorette vacation on the Amalfi coast of Italy for her and her two closest friends. Though she is excited to spend time with the bride to be, Larisa’s not the kind of person to spend every single day getting out of bed late and lounging on the beach like the other two ladies desire to do. Especially when she’s always dreamed of going to Italy, seeing the different historic sites, and gathering pictures of the phenomenal views for her portfolio. At first, Larisa makes do with gathering pictures from the hotel’s lands and excursions, but she finds an unlikely travel companion in the subject of one of her first Italian photos. A photo that she was sure made the guy hate her on site and certainly made them both testy.
Gianluca just had a very public breakup and wants to get away from the spotlight. So he’s booked a room in the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel, a hotel known for high levels of privacy for it’s guests. Also known as, no paparazzi or unwanted attention. Or so he thought. When Gianluca leaves his vehicle to enter the hotel, a woman is there and taking his photo. Though he and the hotel staff get the woman to stop taking his picture, Gianluca is sure that the woman is an undercover paparazzi or journalist that infiltrated the hotel under false pretenses and is determined to prove his theory right. But the more he gets to know Larisa, the more Gianluca realizes that she is completely oblivious to who he is. So he concocts a story for himself away from the truth of his actor fame with the hopes that he’ll finally be able to experience the only chance he could get at feeling normal. But things end up being much harder for him when feelings get deep and his secret threatens to be exposed sooner than he’d like…
I received an ARC from the author & am not required to leave a positive review.
– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Larisa & Gianluca’s points of view
– a character’s parents both passed away in a car accident (past event)
– some kisses briefly mention tongue
Review:
One of my favorite things in a celebrity romance is when the celebrity gets the chance to feel normal for once and this story had a wonderful use of this! I loved that Larisa really could care less about different news announcements and gossip going on around her pertaining to high profile people. I love that it set up a chance for Gianluca to have normalcy that he otherwise wouldn’t have had. Larisa was so oblivious to the issues Gianluca had with being in public and at times kinda found it endearing which was cute. I loved that Gianluca completely fell for Larisa and was willing to venture outside the hotel with her for dates even though it could have broken his secret wide open sooner. The two of them were so sweet and I loved getting to see their romance develop from both their points of views as well as the different things that made them take a second look at the other person to begin with.
Summary:
Larisa is excited that her friend’s fiancé funded a month long bachelorette vacation on the Amalfi coast of Italy for her and her two closest friends. Though she is excited to spend time with the bride to be, Larisa’s not the kind of person to spend every single day getting out of bed late and lounging on the beach like the other two ladies desire to do. Especially when she’s always dreamed of going to Italy, seeing the different historic sites, and gathering pictures of the phenomenal views for her portfolio. At first, Larisa makes do with gathering pictures from the hotel’s lands and excursions, but she finds an unlikely travel companion in the subject of one of her first Italian photos. A photo that she was sure made the guy hate her on site and certainly made them both testy.
Gianluca just had a very public breakup and wants to get away from the spotlight. So he’s booked a room in the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel, a hotel known for high levels of privacy for it’s guests. Also known as, no paparazzi or unwanted attention. Or so he thought. When Gianluca leaves his vehicle to enter the hotel, a woman is there and taking his photo. Though he and the hotel staff get the woman to stop taking his picture, Gianluca is sure that the woman is an undercover paparazzi or journalist that infiltrated the hotel under false pretenses and is determined to prove his theory right. But the more he gets to know Larisa, the more Gianluca realizes that she is completely oblivious to who he is. So he concocts a story for himself away from the truth of his actor fame with the hopes that he’ll finally be able to experience the only chance he could get at feeling normal. But things end up being much harder for him when feelings get deep and his secret threatens to be exposed sooner than he’d like…
I received an ARC from the author & am not required to leave a positive review.
February 20, 2024
Oh the bliss of living vicariously through the characters in this sweet romcom as they visit the Amalfi Coast for three weeks for a bachelorette party for Jo. Jo is worn out from planning her wedding to her billionaire boyfriend. Emmy is more excited about the Italian food than anything else. Larisa just wants to take pictures, which immediately gets her into trouble when the three American besties arrive at the plush, exclusive resort. Larissa is taking photos when a man leaving a limo starts berating her in Italian. She is shocked. To make matters worse she cannot understand him, but she knows he is not happy with her. She just does not know why. Little does she know she was photographing an Italian celebrity. Larissa lives in her own little world. Her idea of a good movie is a Marvel movie or a cartoon.
Gianluca is trying to escape the bad press from his recent breakup. He is convinced that the red-headed American is the paparazzi out to get him. The sparks between these two start flying immediately. Gianluca soon realizes that Larissa has no clue that he is a movie star. He is undeniably attracted to her and her feisty ways. Now that he realizes he can actually have a conversation with someone who wants nothing from him, he is even more enthralled with this beautiful woman he calls American Jane. Keeping his celebrity status a secret sounded genius, but we all know where this story is headed.
I fell in love with this book from the beginning pages. The instant connection between Gianluca and Larissa was evident even as they were hurling insults to one another. Gianluca was always surrounded by superficial people. Larissa was like a breath of fresh air to him. The setting for this story made this book even more enjoyable to read. I could almost feel the ocean breeze as I imagined myself in their place. This is a closed door, clean romance with wonderful characters. I could imagine this book being made into a Hallmark movie. The love sparkles on the page and the romance is completely dreamy and sigh-worthy. I did not want it to end.
Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Gianluca is trying to escape the bad press from his recent breakup. He is convinced that the red-headed American is the paparazzi out to get him. The sparks between these two start flying immediately. Gianluca soon realizes that Larissa has no clue that he is a movie star. He is undeniably attracted to her and her feisty ways. Now that he realizes he can actually have a conversation with someone who wants nothing from him, he is even more enthralled with this beautiful woman he calls American Jane. Keeping his celebrity status a secret sounded genius, but we all know where this story is headed.
I fell in love with this book from the beginning pages. The instant connection between Gianluca and Larissa was evident even as they were hurling insults to one another. Gianluca was always surrounded by superficial people. Larissa was like a breath of fresh air to him. The setting for this story made this book even more enjoyable to read. I could almost feel the ocean breeze as I imagined myself in their place. This is a closed door, clean romance with wonderful characters. I could imagine this book being made into a Hallmark movie. The love sparkles on the page and the romance is completely dreamy and sigh-worthy. I did not want it to end.
Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 11, 2024
My Secret Celebrity is the second book in Joy's My Way to Romance series. This book, like the others in the series, is a sweet contemporary romance. My Secret Celebrity features Larisa Thompson and Gianluca Ferraro.
Larisa travels to Italy for a bachelorette trip with her best friends, Jo and Emmy. Jo is engaged to a billionaire and therefore the three women are staying at the very exclusive and private Mare Verde Hotel. It is there that Larisa meets Gianluca but their first encounter is anything but pleasant. Gianluca is a very famous actor in Italy and following a very public breakup sought to get out of the public eye and relax in peace at the very same hotel. When Larisa takes his photo he becomes enraged. Believing her to be a member of the paparazzi, he berates her. While she tries to apologize and explain, he refuses to listen and doesn't believe her.
The two keep crossing paths, and while he is very suspicious of her, he also is quite taken with her beauty. When he comes to realize that not only is she not there to take his picture or write a story about him, but that she also has no idea who he is, he becomes fascinated. As someone who started out as a child actor, and lived his life in the public eye, he dreams of meeting someone who can appreciate him for who he is rather than what he offers.
As the two spend more time together, they grow closer. The only problem is that Larisa believes Gianluca to be a businessman. How long can he keep his secret before she discovers the truth? Even when we see the writing on the wall, and know what is coming, we hope that things will work out differently. With the exception of one giant lie, Gianluca treats Larisa with respect and appreciation. He sees her for who she is, and enjoys spending time with her. Unfortunately his past relationships have made him reluctant to share his truth.
Fortunately for us, the author has guaranteed a HEA, although there is a somewhat bumpy road to get there. I enjoyed the journey of watching these two very passionate individuals find the connection they needed. Their exploration of the country, and each other, was entertaining.
If you like reading sweet romances, this is a cute one. The books in this series, while interconnected, are standalone stories so feel free to jump into whichever one calls to you first
Larisa travels to Italy for a bachelorette trip with her best friends, Jo and Emmy. Jo is engaged to a billionaire and therefore the three women are staying at the very exclusive and private Mare Verde Hotel. It is there that Larisa meets Gianluca but their first encounter is anything but pleasant. Gianluca is a very famous actor in Italy and following a very public breakup sought to get out of the public eye and relax in peace at the very same hotel. When Larisa takes his photo he becomes enraged. Believing her to be a member of the paparazzi, he berates her. While she tries to apologize and explain, he refuses to listen and doesn't believe her.
The two keep crossing paths, and while he is very suspicious of her, he also is quite taken with her beauty. When he comes to realize that not only is she not there to take his picture or write a story about him, but that she also has no idea who he is, he becomes fascinated. As someone who started out as a child actor, and lived his life in the public eye, he dreams of meeting someone who can appreciate him for who he is rather than what he offers.
As the two spend more time together, they grow closer. The only problem is that Larisa believes Gianluca to be a businessman. How long can he keep his secret before she discovers the truth? Even when we see the writing on the wall, and know what is coming, we hope that things will work out differently. With the exception of one giant lie, Gianluca treats Larisa with respect and appreciation. He sees her for who she is, and enjoys spending time with her. Unfortunately his past relationships have made him reluctant to share his truth.
Fortunately for us, the author has guaranteed a HEA, although there is a somewhat bumpy road to get there. I enjoyed the journey of watching these two very passionate individuals find the connection they needed. Their exploration of the country, and each other, was entertaining.
If you like reading sweet romances, this is a cute one. The books in this series, while interconnected, are standalone stories so feel free to jump into whichever one calls to you first
February 22, 2024
“This is just the beginning, trust me when I tell you.”
Larisa Thompson is visiting the Italian Coast with her friends from America for 3 weeks while staying in an exclusive private hotel. She has an unfortunate misunderstanding and first encounter with Gianluca Ferraro, an Italian superstar actor, unbeknownst to her. Through a few more encounters, and beneath the animosity lies surprising and undeniable chemistry between Laris and Gianluca.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, Gianluca soon learns that Larisa Thompson is completely oblivious to his celebrity status—she is only there for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an expose.
This changes everything and Gianluca yearns to know everything about the feisty American photographer with those beautiful, icy blue eyes. Entranced, Gianluca crafts a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a real connection untainted by any fame.
But as love blossoms, Gianluca’s hidden identity threatens to shatter everything….
“Sometimes, amidst the chaos of our lives, we find beauty in the simplest of moments.”
@kristinewjoy thank you for my copy. This story had me feeling like I was transported straight to the Amalfi Coast. What an adventure! I enjoyed the
banter, teasing, and obvious chemistry between Gianluca and Larisa. I loved that Larisa was so genuine and not wrapped up in anything superficial, and that there was a depth and fine layers to Gianluca. I liked that they had such a connection. This is a sweet, quick read, modern-day romance story with an endearing epilogue worth reading!!
•Content: mild+ kissing (some passion)
“Listen to me, whatever comes our way, we can definitely face it, simply because we’re together. That’s the real adventure if you ask me.”
#mysecretcelebrity
#kristinewjoy
“Fame, money, a career ... but none of that matters.
All I want is you. My heart wants you and nothing else.”
Larisa Thompson is visiting the Italian Coast with her friends from America for 3 weeks while staying in an exclusive private hotel. She has an unfortunate misunderstanding and first encounter with Gianluca Ferraro, an Italian superstar actor, unbeknownst to her. Through a few more encounters, and beneath the animosity lies surprising and undeniable chemistry between Laris and Gianluca.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, Gianluca soon learns that Larisa Thompson is completely oblivious to his celebrity status—she is only there for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an expose.
This changes everything and Gianluca yearns to know everything about the feisty American photographer with those beautiful, icy blue eyes. Entranced, Gianluca crafts a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a real connection untainted by any fame.
But as love blossoms, Gianluca’s hidden identity threatens to shatter everything….
“Sometimes, amidst the chaos of our lives, we find beauty in the simplest of moments.”
@kristinewjoy thank you for my copy. This story had me feeling like I was transported straight to the Amalfi Coast. What an adventure! I enjoyed the
banter, teasing, and obvious chemistry between Gianluca and Larisa. I loved that Larisa was so genuine and not wrapped up in anything superficial, and that there was a depth and fine layers to Gianluca. I liked that they had such a connection. This is a sweet, quick read, modern-day romance story with an endearing epilogue worth reading!!
•Content: mild+ kissing (some passion)
“Listen to me, whatever comes our way, we can definitely face it, simply because we’re together. That’s the real adventure if you ask me.”
#mysecretcelebrity
#kristinewjoy
“Fame, money, a career ... but none of that matters.
All I want is you. My heart wants you and nothing else.”
February 23, 2024
5/5
Genre: Sweet Rom Com
Read it if you like
📷Dual POV
📷 Italy
📷 enemies to lovers
📷 photographer and celebrity
📷 friendship
📷 Secrets
📷 Happy Ever After
Favourite Moments
📷 The first time they meet.
📷 Him accompanying her around to take pictures of sites.
📷 Their sweet romantic dates
📷 the time in the gym and also the scuba diving (can’t spoil it)
📷 friends having each other’s back.
(lots more)
Swoony Moments
📷 He accompanies her to the places that she wants to go though it is hard for him (can’t spoil it)
📷 He respects her.
📷 He is so romantic. (can’t spoil it )
📷He does everything to make her happy.
📷 He falls first.
(lots more)
Synopsis
Larisa is having a vacation with her friends to have fun before her friend gets married. One thing is that her friend’s fiancé is really rich so they are going to stay in a private resort. However, the first day, she met an Italian man whom she took pictures of and he was scolding her. Worst still every activity that she goes she will meet him. Will they ever get along? Who is he anyway? Read My Secret Celebrity to find out!
Review:
This is the 2nd book of the My Way to Romance series. I enjoyed the adventures together with Larisa and Gianluca around Italy. Though they are nemesis at first but slowly they get to know each other and felt comfortable with each other. And also enjoyed their bickering and their flirting with each other too. Loving that though he is afraid of paparazzi he still followed her everywhere to let her capture the moment for her photography. And also he also takes her photos so that they are even. He could be himself around her without having special treatment though he is keeping his identity a secret. (can’t spoil much) Her friends are always there for her and also encourage her to go out for a date and also when the times that she is down too, they comforted her. This book made me smile, swoon , frustrated and also warm. And I would like to say that celebrities are human too and they have the right to have their private life and also love whomever that they love. Leave them alone.
P.S I want to go Italy one day. Hehe…
If you haven’t read the first book please do. It’s called My Forbidden Billionaire which is one of Larisa’s best friend who is, Josephine (Jo)’s story.
Can’t wait to read her other books. It will be interesting too. Thanks @kristinewjoy for the ARC .
You can buy this book from Amazon and it’s available on KU.
Genre: Sweet Rom Com
Read it if you like
📷Dual POV
📷 Italy
📷 enemies to lovers
📷 photographer and celebrity
📷 friendship
📷 Secrets
📷 Happy Ever After
Favourite Moments
📷 The first time they meet.
📷 Him accompanying her around to take pictures of sites.
📷 Their sweet romantic dates
📷 the time in the gym and also the scuba diving (can’t spoil it)
📷 friends having each other’s back.
(lots more)
Swoony Moments
📷 He accompanies her to the places that she wants to go though it is hard for him (can’t spoil it)
📷 He respects her.
📷 He is so romantic. (can’t spoil it )
📷He does everything to make her happy.
📷 He falls first.
(lots more)
Synopsis
Larisa is having a vacation with her friends to have fun before her friend gets married. One thing is that her friend’s fiancé is really rich so they are going to stay in a private resort. However, the first day, she met an Italian man whom she took pictures of and he was scolding her. Worst still every activity that she goes she will meet him. Will they ever get along? Who is he anyway? Read My Secret Celebrity to find out!
Review:
This is the 2nd book of the My Way to Romance series. I enjoyed the adventures together with Larisa and Gianluca around Italy. Though they are nemesis at first but slowly they get to know each other and felt comfortable with each other. And also enjoyed their bickering and their flirting with each other too. Loving that though he is afraid of paparazzi he still followed her everywhere to let her capture the moment for her photography. And also he also takes her photos so that they are even. He could be himself around her without having special treatment though he is keeping his identity a secret. (can’t spoil much) Her friends are always there for her and also encourage her to go out for a date and also when the times that she is down too, they comforted her. This book made me smile, swoon , frustrated and also warm. And I would like to say that celebrities are human too and they have the right to have their private life and also love whomever that they love. Leave them alone.
P.S I want to go Italy one day. Hehe…
If you haven’t read the first book please do. It’s called My Forbidden Billionaire which is one of Larisa’s best friend who is, Josephine (Jo)’s story.
Can’t wait to read her other books. It will be interesting too. Thanks @kristinewjoy for the ARC .
You can buy this book from Amazon and it’s available on KU.
February 20, 2024
This was such a swoon worthy book with so many moments and descriptions that made me wish I was right there in Italy with the two main characters, Larisa and Gianluca.
I absolutely loved this story from the beginning when we read about their meet-cute (or should I say meet-hate?). Gianluca is a famous Italian move star who was seeking refuge at a very private, high end resort in Italy after his public breakup from his girlfriend. Larisa happens to be staying at the same resort with her two girlfriends for a bachelorette weekend for one of her friends that is marrying a billionaire. Larisa accidentally ends up invading Gianluca’s privacy as soon as he arrives at the resort and he lets her know just how much he doesn’t appreciate it. This sets the tone for the start of their relationship… and even though they can’t stand each other, they end up spending a ton of time together and find themselves gravitating towards one another for reasons they don’t understand at first.
The banter, teasing, and obvious chemistry between Gianluca and Larisa kept me so invested and interested in seeing how their story would end that I couldn’t put the book down once I started. There’s more to meet the eye with Gianluca and I loved how he was able to start working through his feelings and emotions throughout the book. I really enjoyed how out of the loop Larisa was regarding pop culture and how she didn’t utilize social media much. It made her so genuine, down to earth and overall just a really likable character… I was rooting for her the whole time!
Sometimes things aren’t what they seem… and while I normally don’t enjoy miscommunication in romcoms, I felt like it was perfect for this story. It played a part in aiding the hidden identity portion of this story (which IS one of my favorite tropes)!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy closed door romcoms. It will keep you excited all the way until the end to see what comes of Larisa and Gianluca!
I absolutely loved this story from the beginning when we read about their meet-cute (or should I say meet-hate?). Gianluca is a famous Italian move star who was seeking refuge at a very private, high end resort in Italy after his public breakup from his girlfriend. Larisa happens to be staying at the same resort with her two girlfriends for a bachelorette weekend for one of her friends that is marrying a billionaire. Larisa accidentally ends up invading Gianluca’s privacy as soon as he arrives at the resort and he lets her know just how much he doesn’t appreciate it. This sets the tone for the start of their relationship… and even though they can’t stand each other, they end up spending a ton of time together and find themselves gravitating towards one another for reasons they don’t understand at first.
The banter, teasing, and obvious chemistry between Gianluca and Larisa kept me so invested and interested in seeing how their story would end that I couldn’t put the book down once I started. There’s more to meet the eye with Gianluca and I loved how he was able to start working through his feelings and emotions throughout the book. I really enjoyed how out of the loop Larisa was regarding pop culture and how she didn’t utilize social media much. It made her so genuine, down to earth and overall just a really likable character… I was rooting for her the whole time!
Sometimes things aren’t what they seem… and while I normally don’t enjoy miscommunication in romcoms, I felt like it was perfect for this story. It played a part in aiding the hidden identity portion of this story (which IS one of my favorite tropes)!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy closed door romcoms. It will keep you excited all the way until the end to see what comes of Larisa and Gianluca!
May 10, 2024
OVERALL STAR RATING: 4/5
CLEAN RATING: 4.5/5
Oh Italy, how I love you! I think this was my first time ever reading a RomCom set in Italy come to think of it.
Larisa is vacationing on the Almafi Coast at a private luxury resort for a bachelorette party. A mystery man arrives in a limo and freaks out when he sees Larisa with a camera. Larisa loves photography and means no harm. This guy was over the top upset and went on a rampage over the whole “non” incident.
It turns out that Gianluca, the man in the limo, is an extremely famous Italian actor. He’s coming off a bad breakup and was seeking peace away from the chaos of celebrity life. Seeing a woman with a camera had him assuming things that simply weren’t true. He insists that Larisa is there as a secret journalist to spy and publish an exposé.
Gianluca finally lightens up and realizes that Larisa has zero clue as to who he is – especially as she proceeds to really lay into him and put him in his place over his ridiculous behavior. Speaking her mind is attractive to him – so is the fact that she’s clueless to his fame. They proceed to strike up a friendship, and more…but chooses to keep his identity a complete secret.
I felt for the Gianluca…he is craving a taste of “normal” life, but of course hiding secrets isn’t setting any type of a relationship up for success. As you can imagine, things wind up a bit chaotic in this story and Larisa learns who he is. One of the sweetest parts was Larisa speaking so highly of her parents and how much she admired their marriage, wanting to hold her “forever” to the standard set by their example. So so sweet! A fun celebrity dating story.
4.5 clean rating because the kisses were quite descriptive.
For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @aliciasbooksanctuary
CLEAN RATING: 4.5/5
Oh Italy, how I love you! I think this was my first time ever reading a RomCom set in Italy come to think of it.
Larisa is vacationing on the Almafi Coast at a private luxury resort for a bachelorette party. A mystery man arrives in a limo and freaks out when he sees Larisa with a camera. Larisa loves photography and means no harm. This guy was over the top upset and went on a rampage over the whole “non” incident.
It turns out that Gianluca, the man in the limo, is an extremely famous Italian actor. He’s coming off a bad breakup and was seeking peace away from the chaos of celebrity life. Seeing a woman with a camera had him assuming things that simply weren’t true. He insists that Larisa is there as a secret journalist to spy and publish an exposé.
Gianluca finally lightens up and realizes that Larisa has zero clue as to who he is – especially as she proceeds to really lay into him and put him in his place over his ridiculous behavior. Speaking her mind is attractive to him – so is the fact that she’s clueless to his fame. They proceed to strike up a friendship, and more…but chooses to keep his identity a complete secret.
I felt for the Gianluca…he is craving a taste of “normal” life, but of course hiding secrets isn’t setting any type of a relationship up for success. As you can imagine, things wind up a bit chaotic in this story and Larisa learns who he is. One of the sweetest parts was Larisa speaking so highly of her parents and how much she admired their marriage, wanting to hold her “forever” to the standard set by their example. So so sweet! A fun celebrity dating story.
4.5 clean rating because the kisses were quite descriptive.
For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @aliciasbooksanctuary
March 12, 2024
A very cute read overall. A quite simplistic and formulaic though, so if you’re looking for a rom-com to read in a day or two, or maybe just a couple of hours, then this would be a fun diversion.
But in terms of character development and quality of writing, I longed for more depth in both. The characters felt rather cardboard at times and depth was assumed rather than written. Conversations with Larisa and her friends often consisted of only dialogue—no internal beats or thoughts or mental reactions at all. Strictly informational through dialogue. In a novel, I want that interiority on the page. In fact, I craved more connection between Larisa and her friends, wanting them to have a real, true, and deep relationship instead of just being voices telling Larisa what to do or how to give “love” i.e. an Italian fling a chance.
Not only that, but in typical romantic trope, a secret is being kept (not a spoiler to say it’s the secret celebrity, is it?), and when Larisa finds out the truth, she acted so completely out of character that it was wild. But because it happens just for the sake of the plot, it bugged me immensely and felt manipulative for the sake of the story beat.
Ultimately, this story about finding true love is supposed to be a deep emotional connection within and between the characters and what they’re going through, but in the end, the relationship I could muster with the characters was superficial at best because of that.
In the end, it’s a feel-good story that is pretty clean (no sex, just kissing), and twists and ends exactly how you would expect.
Would I read another by the author? Only if I really was having a bad day and needed a desperate distraction from my life. So it’s not impossible, but my expectations would be different.
But in terms of character development and quality of writing, I longed for more depth in both. The characters felt rather cardboard at times and depth was assumed rather than written. Conversations with Larisa and her friends often consisted of only dialogue—no internal beats or thoughts or mental reactions at all. Strictly informational through dialogue. In a novel, I want that interiority on the page. In fact, I craved more connection between Larisa and her friends, wanting them to have a real, true, and deep relationship instead of just being voices telling Larisa what to do or how to give “love” i.e. an Italian fling a chance.
Not only that, but in typical romantic trope, a secret is being kept (not a spoiler to say it’s the secret celebrity, is it?), and when Larisa finds out the truth, she acted so completely out of character that it was wild. But because it happens just for the sake of the plot, it bugged me immensely and felt manipulative for the sake of the story beat.
Ultimately, this story about finding true love is supposed to be a deep emotional connection within and between the characters and what they’re going through, but in the end, the relationship I could muster with the characters was superficial at best because of that.
In the end, it’s a feel-good story that is pretty clean (no sex, just kissing), and twists and ends exactly how you would expect.
Would I read another by the author? Only if I really was having a bad day and needed a desperate distraction from my life. So it’s not impossible, but my expectations would be different.
February 22, 2024
When you think of bachelorette party, do you think of too many drinks and too many men (ugly or good looking alike) flirting like there’s no tomorrow, or do you think of a quiet night in with your best gals? Mine was the latter, but it would have been amazing to go to the Amalfi Coast for 3 weeks like in this book!
Larisa, one of Jo’s besties and freelance photographer is on a quest for adventure while vacationing, only to be accosted the first day by a very attractive and outspoken Italian man after she accidentally snaps his picture! Undeterred Larisa refuses to back down and refocuses on her friends!
Gianluca is one of Italy’s premiere movie stars, who has escaped to the exclusive resort to relax and not think about anything related to his ex in anyway shape or form! While the man is entitled to his privacy, he’s very quick to make assumptions that cause a myriad of emotions over the course of his stay! His assistant is a bit pushy when it comes to all things, but considering he’s been in the business for over half his life, hopefully she will learn to trust him more and not be as pushy!
Kristine transported me from a rainy winter day in Arizona to a warm summer vacation in Italy and I never wanted to leave...ever! The balance between the protags personalities and their chemistry was undeniable from the word go! I was drawn to them and the more I read, the more I loved! While I’m never a fan of exes, still not, Elena was up there as far as a slimy one! This book is really a fantastic escape from the everyday I live, but it will also live rent free for a while and move Italy up the bucket list of locations to visit! Let’s go! Ciao friends!
Larisa, one of Jo’s besties and freelance photographer is on a quest for adventure while vacationing, only to be accosted the first day by a very attractive and outspoken Italian man after she accidentally snaps his picture! Undeterred Larisa refuses to back down and refocuses on her friends!
Gianluca is one of Italy’s premiere movie stars, who has escaped to the exclusive resort to relax and not think about anything related to his ex in anyway shape or form! While the man is entitled to his privacy, he’s very quick to make assumptions that cause a myriad of emotions over the course of his stay! His assistant is a bit pushy when it comes to all things, but considering he’s been in the business for over half his life, hopefully she will learn to trust him more and not be as pushy!
Kristine transported me from a rainy winter day in Arizona to a warm summer vacation in Italy and I never wanted to leave...ever! The balance between the protags personalities and their chemistry was undeniable from the word go! I was drawn to them and the more I read, the more I loved! While I’m never a fan of exes, still not, Elena was up there as far as a slimy one! This book is really a fantastic escape from the everyday I live, but it will also live rent free for a while and move Italy up the bucket list of locations to visit! Let’s go! Ciao friends!
February 24, 2024
“This feels like the beginning of something beautiful.” This was an entertaining read. I enjoyed it so much. It was fun to get glimpses of Italy. The relationship was great, right from the not so cute, but rather antagonistic, meeting. Attraction and interest flared quickly and developed strong romantic intensity. The characters were engaging, and there were plenty of cute and funny moments. And very swoony kisses. Larisa, on an extended bachelorette vacation in Italy with her friends, ignited the ire of Gianluca, but that quickly turned into other feelings as a relationship grew. What she didn’t know was that he was actually a famous actor on a much-needed break and feeling caged-in by his career and fame. “The illlusion of choice. The illusion of freedom.” Could they really have a future together with such different lives? “‘A meaningful relationship. Not some ‘adventure’. I don’t want some short-term fling. I want security, reliability, trust…I want to be with someone that I can build a life with, not someone who will forget about me as soon as I get on the plane back to Boston.’” It was fun to get glimpses of Italy. The relationship was great, right from the not so cute, but rather antagonistic, meet-cute. Attraction and interest flared quickly and developed strong romantic intensity. The characters were engaging, and there were plenty of cute and funny moments. And very swoony kisses. While this book is the second in the series and does have character carryover from the first book, it reads very well as a standalone. This is a closed door romance with very descriptive kissing, mild innuendo, and no harsh language.
February 26, 2024
Gianluca and Larisa story is a fun addition to this series that has all the best of a sweet, clean, closed door romance. With all the aspects of Joy's storytelling that keeps bringing me back to her for a weekend escape, this is well written easy read that can easily be read as a standalone, although there are some fun cameos of characters from Book One.
Starting out with a wonderful meet cute that sets the stage for this Italian Escapade of mistaken identities, Larisa and Gianluca's immediate missteps on that first day at the resort created a fun, flirty, and understandable enemies to lovers romance that I just loved reading. With an immediate chemistry that drew me as well as many laugh out loud moments, we follow as Gianluca, a famous Italian actor, confuses Larisa, the tourist, for a stalking paparazzi and shows off his worst self. Both react before thinking and relying on only a moment of information and we are off on a wonderfully rich banter filled rollrcoaster of an Italian Rom Com! What more of a set up can you ask for.... Ohhhhh I know some swoony kisses and a just a whiff of tension to keep their story clean enough for any reader, but still show these are well developed and grown up characters. In Larisa and Gianluca's story, Joy has once again created wonderfully rich characters whose humorous banter and romantic pairing that show why she is a top author for me.
Starting out with a wonderful meet cute that sets the stage for this Italian Escapade of mistaken identities, Larisa and Gianluca's immediate missteps on that first day at the resort created a fun, flirty, and understandable enemies to lovers romance that I just loved reading. With an immediate chemistry that drew me as well as many laugh out loud moments, we follow as Gianluca, a famous Italian actor, confuses Larisa, the tourist, for a stalking paparazzi and shows off his worst self. Both react before thinking and relying on only a moment of information and we are off on a wonderfully rich banter filled rollrcoaster of an Italian Rom Com! What more of a set up can you ask for.... Ohhhhh I know some swoony kisses and a just a whiff of tension to keep their story clean enough for any reader, but still show these are well developed and grown up characters. In Larisa and Gianluca's story, Joy has once again created wonderfully rich characters whose humorous banter and romantic pairing that show why she is a top author for me.
March 20, 2024
The second book in this series leaves Larisa in for a pleasantly romantic surprise when the 3 friends head to Italy to plan for an upcoming wedding.
I love the descriptive writing of a beautiful scenic landscape and architecture and delicious food. It all filled my senses!
This is a closed door romance but includes descriptive kissing throughout.
Description:
I finally met my match and she doesn’t even know my true identity...
I’m Italy’s most famous actor, seeking refuge from the spotlight after my public breakup.
But when my Amalfi Coast getaway gets disrupted by a fiery redhead wielding a camera, the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel quickly becomes a battleground.
Our meet-hate sparks a whirlwind of clashes, but beneath the animosity lies undeniable chemistry.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, I learn that Larisa Thompson is oblivious to my celebrity status—only here for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an exposé.
Suddenly, I want to know everything about the feisty American photographer with icy blue eyes.
Entranced, I craft a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a connection untainted by fame.
But as love blossoms, my hidden identity threatens to shatter everything.
Can she see beyond my lie, or will I lose her forever?
My Secret Celebrity is a sweet and swoony closed-door romcom. It's the second standalone story in Kristine W. Joy's My Way to Romance Series following three best friends who live in Boston.
I love the descriptive writing of a beautiful scenic landscape and architecture and delicious food. It all filled my senses!
This is a closed door romance but includes descriptive kissing throughout.
Description:
I finally met my match and she doesn’t even know my true identity...
I’m Italy’s most famous actor, seeking refuge from the spotlight after my public breakup.
But when my Amalfi Coast getaway gets disrupted by a fiery redhead wielding a camera, the exclusive Mare Verde Hotel quickly becomes a battleground.
Our meet-hate sparks a whirlwind of clashes, but beneath the animosity lies undeniable chemistry.
Convinced she’s a paparazzi and determined to uncover her motives, I learn that Larisa Thompson is oblivious to my celebrity status—only here for a bachelorette getaway, not to write an exposé.
Suddenly, I want to know everything about the feisty American photographer with icy blue eyes.
Entranced, I craft a lie, posing as a businessman for the chance to experience a connection untainted by fame.
But as love blossoms, my hidden identity threatens to shatter everything.
Can she see beyond my lie, or will I lose her forever?
My Secret Celebrity is a sweet and swoony closed-door romcom. It's the second standalone story in Kristine W. Joy's My Way to Romance Series following three best friends who live in Boston.
February 20, 2024
A sweet closed door celebrity romance set against the beautiful backdrop of the Amalfi Coast with swoony kisses!
It is engaging enough that you might very well be sipping a limoncello and reading this book by the mediterranean beach! ⛱️☀️
This is the second book in the ‘My Way To Romance’ series by Kristine, first being a billionaire single dad romance. This is the story of Larissa, one of the three girls who are best friends and whom we met in the first book! However, this can be totally read as a standalone!
Larissa along with her friends is spending a three week bachelorette vacation at a high end exclusive Amalfi resort. On her first day she has a rather not so cute encounter with a very handsome, very mesmerising and very rude Italian man! Gianluca is the most desired Italian movie star and he had planned for a time off at this resort for some quiet time away from the paparazzi, but Larissa happens to be everywhere he turns with her camera! Gianluca is half worried she is an undercover paparazzi and half attracted to the simple yet stunning American Jane!
What follows is great banter and sizzling chemistry - cue in hot yoga sessions, dinner on the beach, couple spas and lots of swoony kisses! The backdrop of Amalfi Coast with lots of mouth watering Italian food is an added perk! If you are looking for a easy read with a mediterranean holiday vibe, then do give this a read!
Join me over at IG: booklover_swii
It is engaging enough that you might very well be sipping a limoncello and reading this book by the mediterranean beach! ⛱️☀️
This is the second book in the ‘My Way To Romance’ series by Kristine, first being a billionaire single dad romance. This is the story of Larissa, one of the three girls who are best friends and whom we met in the first book! However, this can be totally read as a standalone!
Larissa along with her friends is spending a three week bachelorette vacation at a high end exclusive Amalfi resort. On her first day she has a rather not so cute encounter with a very handsome, very mesmerising and very rude Italian man! Gianluca is the most desired Italian movie star and he had planned for a time off at this resort for some quiet time away from the paparazzi, but Larissa happens to be everywhere he turns with her camera! Gianluca is half worried she is an undercover paparazzi and half attracted to the simple yet stunning American Jane!
What follows is great banter and sizzling chemistry - cue in hot yoga sessions, dinner on the beach, couple spas and lots of swoony kisses! The backdrop of Amalfi Coast with lots of mouth watering Italian food is an added perk! If you are looking for a easy read with a mediterranean holiday vibe, then do give this a read!
Join me over at IG: booklover_swii
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